Dave, why can't I find a parametric eq as good as the PQ3?

eljodon

eljodon

Member
Hi Dave.I just purchased the Empress ParaEQ and it was a total disappointment! I also tried the TC Electronics 2240 and it still doesn't sound as good as the PQ3 I'm trying to find a parametric eq that sounds as good as the Furman PQ3 or PQ6. I would like to put all my pedals and eq's on a pedalboard to get my system smaller but I've tried a number of parametric eqs and they all fall short of what the PQ3 can do.

Also the Boss GE10 blows away many of the graphic eq's including the Boss 7 band eq, MXR 10 band and 6 band. They start getting nasty sounding when you really push them hard.But the Boss GE10 is great and you can even push the output without getting nasty. I like to occasionally put an eq in front of my amp for added thickness. I might have to find someone to put the PQ 3 in a smaller box. Do you have any ideas of a company that makes a good 3 band parametric eq?
 
Thanks. I just can't understand why nobody has been able to duplicate the Furman PQ3. I'm getting tired of buying eqs! LOL! I have many fellow guitar players who have it and love them. They were all excited to find out if the Empress ParaEQ would sound like the PQ3. They were disappointed. I have the schematics but I don't know which version. I have the one that you fix the ground issue and it works great.
 
Haven’t been using the Furman for ages so I can't recall the sound print, but I have the Empress ParaEQ and I was a bit disappointed at first. But giving it a fair try a couple of weeks did it for me. It’s extremely sensitive and big things happens even by minor tweaking. Now I’m more than happy using it with my Friedman Smallbox and my ENGL Powerball 2. Did you give it a fair try?
 
Yes, I did try it for some time with every conceivable setting. It doesn't have the gain that the PQ3 has and when using the Empress with a NMV Plexi it starts sounding nasty when the gain is increased. I used the Empress for a band that plays 70's,80's and 90's and it really helps for the 70's and 80's set. I personally use it for a much milder eqing in certain situations and even using it like it still doesn't sound the same. I talked to Empress about it and although this is their most popular product, they agree that the PQ3 does a better job doing what many guitar players used to use it for in the old days. They told me that they're planning to upgrade the ParaEq in the near future so it does what the Furman used to do which I think it's cool. I don't think Furman design the PQ3 to be used in front of a guitar amp. But the ParaEQ is far a lot quieter than the PQ3.
 
The Empress ParaEQ is the best EQ pedal on the market it can do a lot of things both in front of the amp or in the Loop. The Furman PQ3 worked as a preamp, you can slam a clean amp or an amp that its on the point of break up,Thats the only thing the ParaEQ can't do so far!!
 
mxr2000":1l5izb7o said:
The Empress ParaEQ is the best EQ pedal on the market it can do a lot of things both in front of the amp or in the Loop. The Furman PQ3 worked as a preamp, you can slam a clean amp or an amp that its on the point of break up,Thats the only thing the ParaEQ can't do so far!!
Click to expand...

I agree, and for the effects loop it works incredibly well because it's really clean. But the ParaEQ sounds different than the PQ3, maybe because the components are different due the size. I did an AB test without using too much gain and the PQ3 sounded more musical than the ParaEQ which sounded kind of sterile. I even tried using and SSL eq and also the EQ section of an Avalon VT 737sp and got different results with all of them. So I guess it has to do with what type of components they use.

I also like the q to have a pot instead of switches, but due the size limitations of the ParaEQ they used a 3 way toggle switch to keep the pedal as small as possible which makes it so convenient. Hopefully, they'll update it or someone will come up with a good alternative.
 
Other rack PEQ:

Rane PE15.

Ashly PQX (571 or 572)

Yamaha YDP-2006 (digital)
 
rsm":fkx1bisr said:
Other rack PEQ:

Rane PE15.

Ashly PQX (571 or 572)

Yamaha YDP-2006 (digital)
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I'm looking for a pedal parametric eq that sounds close to the Furman PQ3. I have the TC Electronics 2240 4 band parametric eq stereo but it didn't sound like the PQ3 but it sounds great when used on the fx loops of an amp. I also used to own the Rane 15 but it also didn't sound that great either!
 
stephen sawall":1rtlx1pa said:
I would be into checking out the WMD.
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I was looking at it awhile ago. I wonder how much gain you can get from each band. 20dB would be nice. It also looks smaller, plus it has a knob to control the q and it's only $199. Thanks!
 
eljodon":1ogxejiw said:
stephen sawall":1ogxejiw said:
I would be into checking out the WMD.
Click to expand...

I was looking at it awhile ago. I wonder how much gain you can get from each band. 20dB would be nice. It also looks smaller, plus it has a knob to control the q and it's only $199. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I have not tried it.... I just like all the WMD stuff I have tried.
 
mxr2000":20bu4sk8 said:
The Empress ParaEQ is the best EQ pedal on the market it can do a lot of things both in front of the amp or in the Loop. The Furman PQ3 worked as a preamp, you can slam a clean amp or an amp that its on the point of break up,Thats the only thing the ParaEQ can't do so far!!
Click to expand...

The Para EQ with boost has 30db of clean boost . I have never used one , but why couldn't you hit the front of an amp that is already cooking ?
 
harsh59":18ji1x1m said:
mxr2000":18ji1x1m said:
The Empress ParaEQ is the best EQ pedal on the market it can do a lot of things both in front of the amp or in the Loop. The Furman PQ3 worked as a preamp, you can slam a clean amp or an amp that its on the point of break up,Thats the only thing the ParaEQ can't do so far!!
Click to expand...

The Para EQ with boost has 30db of clean boost . I have never used one , but why couldn't you hit the front of an amp that is already cooking ?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, when you hit the ParaEq boost to get the same boost of the PQ3, it starts sounding nasty with any amp I use when duplicating the usual eq settings from the PQ3. I should've done an A/B comparison to illustrate the difference, but I returned it before I thought about it.
 
eljodon":1w1th0t0 said:
harsh59":1w1th0t0 said:
mxr2000":1w1th0t0 said:
The Empress ParaEQ is the best EQ pedal on the market it can do a lot of things both in front of the amp or in the Loop. The Furman PQ3 worked as a preamp, you can slam a clean amp or an amp that its on the point of break up,Thats the only thing the ParaEQ can't do so far!!
Click to expand...

The Para EQ with boost has 30db of clean boost . I have never used one , but why couldn't you hit the front of an amp that is already cooking ?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, when you hit the ParaEq boost to get the same boost of the PQ3, it starts sounding nasty with any amp I use when duplicating the usual eq settings from the PQ3. I should've done an A/B comparison to illustrate the difference, but I returned it before I thought about it.
Click to expand...


Sounds almost ring modulated. I had the same experience, I had one of the original preorder units.

Not sure how much you need actual parametric bands but I am having good luck with the VFE standout as pre distortion EQ. LP and HP filters with boost.
 
Sounds almost ring modulated. I had the same experience, I had one of the original preorder units.

Not sure how much you need actual parametric bands but I am having good luck with the VFE standout as pre distortion EQ. LP and HP filters with boost.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice, but I do need the the parametric eq. That's the best part of the PQ3! I'll checkout the VFE, sounds like a cool pedal!
 
Guess what? BUMP! I think we have all asked Dave about the possibility of a pedal that could do this over the last few years...maybe it can be revisited because we all know we want it!
 
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